34 DISEASES Class I. i. 3. 9. 



eyes, which are found in the ftomachs of thofe animals previous 

 to the annual renewal of their fhells, are redifiblved, probably 

 by their gaftric acid, and again depofited for that purpofe ; may 

 it not be concluded, that the (tone of the bladder might be dif- 

 folved by the gaftric juice of fifh of prey, as of crabs, or pike *, or 

 of voracious young birds, as young rooks or hawks, or even of 

 calves ? Could not thefe experiments be tried by collecting the 

 gaftric juice by putting bits of fponge down the throats of young 

 crows, and retracing them by a firing in the manner of Spal- 

 lanzani ? or putting pieces-of calculus down the throat of a liv- 

 ing crow, or pike, and obferving if they become digefted ? 'and 

 laitly, could not gaftric juice, if it fhould appear to be a folvent, 

 be injected and borne in the bladder without injury by means of 

 catheters of claftic refin, or caoutchouc ? 



M. M. Diluents. Cool drefs. Frequent change of pofture. 

 Frequent horizontal reft in the day. Bathe the loins every morn- 

 ing with a fponge and cold water. Aerated alkaline water in- 

 ternally. Abftinence from all fermented or fpirituous liquors. 

 Whatever increafes perfpiration injures thefe patients, as it dif- 

 fipates the aqueous particles, which ought to dilute the urine. 

 When the conftitution begins to produce gravel, it may I believe 

 be certainly prevented by a total abftinence from fermented or 

 fpirituous liquors ; by drinking much aqueous fluids ; as toafl 

 and water, tea, milk and water, lemonade j and laftly by thin 

 clothing, and lleeping on a hardilh bed, that the patient may not 

 lie too long on one fide. See Clafs IV. 2. 2. 2. There is reafon 

 to believe, that the daily ufe of opium contributes to produce 

 gravel in the kidneys by increafing abforption, when they are 

 inflamed \ in the fame manner as is done by fermented or fpir- 

 ituous liquor. See Clafs I. 3. 2. 11. 



When the kidneys are fo obftrucled with gravel, that no urine 

 paffes into the bladder ; which is known by the external appear- 

 ance of the lower part of the abdomen, which, when the bladder 

 is full, feems as if contracted by a cord between the navel and 

 the bladder ; and by the tenfion on the region of the bladder 

 cflflinguifbableby the touch ; or by the introduction of the ca- 

 theter j the following methods of cure are frequently fuccefsful. 

 Venefe£lion to fix or eight ounces, ten grains of calomel, and 

 an infuficn of fenna with falts and oil, every three hours, till 

 ftools are procured. Then an emetic. After the patient has 

 been thus evacuated, a bliiter on the loins fhould be ufed ; and 

 from ten to twenty electric fnocks fhould be paffed through the 

 kidneys, as large as can be eaiily borne, once or twice a day. 

 Along; with this method the warm bath fhould be ufed for art 

 - ur once or twice a day. After repeated evacuations a clyfter, 



confifting 



